Known as one of the most famous states in the USA, California also has one of the largest populations. ‘The Golden State’, or ‘CA’ for short, hugs the lower part of America’s west coast. The state capital is Sacramento but California is better known for its mega cities Los Angeles and San Francisco. Other big cities include San Diego, San Jose, Fresno, Long Beach and Oakland. If you hire a car in California, you’ll find that it encompasses a wide variety of landscapes, from deserts in the south to evergreen forests in the north. The state also includes Napa Valley, Death Valley and many of America’s highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The Golden State is home to such a wide variety of sights. Hire a car in California and you can find the original Disneyland and Universal Studios theme parks in LA, or the Golden Gate Bridge and old trams in San Francisco. With a car you’ll be able to get to see natural wonders too, like Yosemite, Redwood and Joshua Tree National Parks. Make sure to save some time to people-watch on colourful Venice Beach or drive along the famous scenic coastal route: Highway One.
Driving in California is much like driving in the rest of the US: you drive on the right and you can’t use a mobile phone. A few local laws need noting, however: ordinary passenger cars need not stop at a rail crossing unless a signal tells you to. But you must stop when a school bus flashes its red lights, unless you are on the opposite side of a dual carriageway, and you must put your headlights on if it’s wet enough to use your windscreen wipers constantly.
